SMU Libraries Research Data Management Support provides instruction and consultation in the areas of data management planning, storage, description and metadata creation, preservation, and copyright. Individual and group training can be tailored to the specific needs of each project. We refer questions that are beyond the scope of this service to other SMU services. For more information, contact datasupport@smu.edu.
- SMU Libraries' support is limited to research data that is generated by SMU faculty, researchers, students, and staff ("researcher") as part of the researcher's duties while employed by SMU.
- Each project is unique and will be analyzed in terms of its specialized data management plan, the online platform that will be used to access the data, metadata records and/or read-me file creation, long-term digital preservation, and data retention requirements.
- SMU Libraries is an institutional partner in the DMP Tool and will use it to help guide researchers in writing their data management plans.
- SMU Libraries Research Data Support advocates for the use of SMU Scholar for depositing research materials, including research data.
- SMU Libraries does not evaluate, curate, clean, edit, or verify the accuracy, reliability, and/or integrity of any data or the underlying design and methodology of the study, nor do we provide advice on compliance issues.
SMU Scholar Policies
- Each researcher is responsible for ensuring that the data deposited;
- does not violate copyright law;
- does not contain information that violates individuals' privacy, HIPAA, FERPA, and/or university IRB and IACUC regulations;
- does not make available any type of confidential details that are part of the project; and/or
- adheres to all legal, regulatory, organizational, disciplinary, and professional requirements;
- includes consent forms allowing the data to be made public.
- SMU Scholar can accept a wide variety of file formats. Non-proprietary and unencrypted formats, with documented standards and wide acceptance within the research community, are preferred. For more information, please see the "Types of Data" and "File Formats" section of the DMPTool's Data Management General Guidance.
- SMU Scholar has a 2 GB per file limit. There is no limit on the total number of files that can be made accessible and/or preserved. Projects that exceed a total of 1 TB may require funding for long-term preservation storage.
- Data may be embargoed for up to five years in SMU Scholar.